Flying-machine.



B. C. H. GREAVES.

FLYING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED FMLN/1913.

1,085,034.v Patented Jan.. 20, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

@ttm/neg B. C. E. GREAVES..

FLYING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED m3151913,

Patented J 2111.20,- 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

l @wummo /1 /d/ C H feaves B. C. H. GREAVES..

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.I5, 19134 3 SHBETSSHEET 3.

y s@ j c* u on I y i gnou/Img UNITED sTATEs PATENT onFIoE.

EENJAMAN GADMAN' nANwELL GREAvEs, oF SOUTH MANCHESTER, coNNEcTIcUT.

FLYING-MACHNE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patenteaaan. 2o, i914..

Application led February 15, 1913. Serial No. 748,684.

maintaining the lateralstability thereof, thev primary object of theinvention being to provide means for securing an automatic adjustment ofthe wings of the supporting surface to'right the machine when unbalancedby the excess pressure of air upon either wing, which means V-will serveat all times to sensitively control and maintain lateral stability.

; A further object of the invention is to provide an automaticstabilizing mechanism which,` in the event ofcderangement of a resistingelement forming part thereof, will automatically lock and maintain thewings in a normal position `for safe flying.

Theinvention consists of the .featuresof construction, combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, referencebeing'had to the accompanying drawings, in which z* Figure l is a frontelevation of a iying machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a topplan view of the machine. Fig 3 isa side elevation thereof.` Fig. 4 is avertical longitudinal section through the body of the machine, showingythe control lever and associated parts. Fig. 5 isa diagrammatic view ofthe wings, control lever and controlling connections. Referring to thedrawings, 1 designates the main frame or fuselage of a flying machinezof approved type, the, wings 2'and 3 of the supporting surface of whichare normally disposed at a dihedral angle of ardetermined degree tosecure inherent lateral stability. vThese wings, whichmay bejof anysuitable construction, are hinged or pivoted to the main frame, as shownat .4, to swing upwardly to a predetermined extent from their normalpositions for an automatic balancing or stabilizing action, aslier-einafter described. Each wing is thus mounted for movement on/-ahorizontal. longitudinal axis, and may be mounted to have any de- 1siredrange of movement within safety mits. V y

Rising from the main frame is a. triangular or pyramidal truss bracket 5carr ing pulleys 6 and 6', and secured to this bracket and to the freeends of the respective wings are bracing wires or cables 7, which holdthe wings from downward movement beyond their normal position, whilepermitting each wing to swing upwardly under excessive air pressure.Passing over the pulleys 6 and 6 are shifting cords or cables 8 andv .8.The

cable 8 passes over' the pulley' 6 and downwardly over guide pulleys 8aand at itspopposite ends extends above and below therespective wings 2and 3 and is fastened to the outer extremities thereof. The cable 8passes over the pulley 6 and downwardly.

over guide pulleys 8b and at its opposite ends extends vabove and belowthe respective wings 3 and 2 and is fastened to the outer extremitiesthereof. Y It will thus be seen that if the wing 2 moves upwardly undereX- cess air pressure, power will be communicated therefrom through thecable 8 to move the wing 3 upwardly to a like degree, while if the wing3 moves upwardly under excess air pressure power will becommu1icatedtherefrom through the cable 8 to move the wing 2 upwardly to a likedegree. Each lwing when forced Aupwardly will accordingly draw the otherwing upwardly with it in such manner that both wings will at all timesbe disposed at `an angle, thus maintaining the balance of the machine.

` Pivotally mounted upon the main frame is a control lever 9 movable ina fore and aft direction on a pivot 10 and provided with a dog or pawl11 lto engage nothes 12 and 13 in a fixedlocking segment 14. The dog 11is normally held retracted in such a position that it will clearl thenotch 12 but will engage the shoulder formed byv the notch 13 when thelever moves forward tol the established limit. The lever is arranged inproximity to the aviators seat, and by projecting the dog 11 to engagethe notch 12 the lever may be locked against motion in 'a stationaryposition to` hold the wings set at `a fixed angle.

The lever is normally held at its rearward limit of mot-ion -by a coiledresistance spring 15 connecting" the sam with an adjacent portion of theframe of the machine. The resisting pressure of this spring is madesubstantially equal to the air pressure upon the wings when the machine1s flyin at a determined rate of speed." Connecter? with ioo this leverare controlling cords 16 and 17 which pass forwardly and thenceoutwardly and laterally over guide pulleys 18 on the frame and areconnected at their outer ends to the under surfaces of the wings,whereby when either wing moves upwardly to a certain degree under excessair pressure and the other wing is moved upwardly to a like degree thelever will be drawn forwardly against the resistance of the spring 15 bythe connections 16 and 17. By this means the excess air pressure is shedby the wing positively forced upwardly and the wings maintained at likevangles, thus preventing the machine from losing its poise or balance,and at the same time the degree of upward movement of the wings isrestricted by the controlling device.

The lever 9 normally stands in a perpendicular position in line with thenotch 12, and is maintained in such position by the action of the spring15, which resists any upward movement of the wings 2 and 3 beyond theirnormal position during ordinary conditions of service in the flight ofthe machine. If, however, excess air pressure should fall upon eitherwing, a pressure suiicient to force the wings upward against theresistance of the spring to such movement of the wings will limit theirupward deflection to a degree just sufficient to dissipate the excesspressure, whereby anl unnecessary degree of upward movement of the wingsis prevented. The aviator, however, by projecting the dog 11 underengagement with the notch 12 may lock the wings in normal positionagainst movement, whenever it is desired to throw the automaticstabilizing means out of action. If, during the period of service of theauto matic stabilizing mechanism the spring 15 should break at any time,the pressure of the air upon the wings 2 and 3 will move the leverforward until it is arrested by the engagement of the dog 11 with thestop shoulder 13. This will allow the wings to move upwardsimultaneously to a safe degree, beyond which any further movement ofthe wings will be prevented, thus allowing the wings to shift todissipate the excess air pressure, while preventing them from shiftingbeyond a safe degree. The operator, if he desires to decrease thedihedral angle of the wings to the normal, may then draw back the leverand lock it in normal position by engaging the dog 11 with the notch 12,thus holding the wings fixed at a normal sustaining angle, in whichevent the ordinary manually controlled means commonly employed may beused to maintain stability.

It will be seen that my invention provides a stabilizing mechanism whichis simple of construction, as well as reliable and efficient in action,which .will normally and safely maintain lateral stability without theaid of the aviator, which may be thrown out of action when occasionrequires, and which in the event of the derangement of the con trollingspring will automatically set itself to prevent the wings from havingmovement beyond a predetermined safe point, the advantages of which willbe apparent.

I claim A flying machine having wings pivoted for upward verticalmovement upon horizontal longitudinal axes, a lever upon the car movablein a fore and aft direction, con trolling cables connecting theleverwith the wings, a spring actin on said lever, to resist movement thereoin one direction and coacting with the cables to resist-upward movementof the wings, locking means for holding the lever against `movement innormal position and locking the leveriigainst movement beyond apredetermined degree in the event of the derangement of the spring, andcables connecting the wings whereby when one wing moves upwardly theother will be moved upwardly to a like degree.

In testimon whereof I affix my signature in presence '0 two witnesses.

BENJAMAN CADMAN HANWELL GREAVES.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. LAURIA, L. E; TEMPLEMAN.

